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2h ago

U.S. Deploys Sea Drones to Strike Iran’s Bandar Abbas Naval Base

Using Saronic Corsair one-way unmanned surface vessels, the strikes aim to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.

A screengrab from CENTCOM's video showing the three USVs on their way to the target. (Image credit: CENTCOM)
Image
Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels were the first sea drones that the U.S. military has used in combat operations.
In this image from video released by U.S. Central Command, an explosion erupts on the waterfront during a strike involving Austin-built Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessels. (Photo: U.S. Central Command)

Overview

  • CENTCOM said three Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessels struck a docked Ghadir-class midget submarine and a ship maintenance facility at Bandar Abbas on July 12, marking the first confirmed U.S. combat use of sea drones.
  • CENTCOM released a short unclassified video showing the USVs’ final approaches and explosions, and Saronic publicly acknowledged its Corsair platform was used in the operation.
  • The Corsair is a 24-foot autonomous USV that can carry roughly 1,000 pounds over long ranges and had been in theater since March; the same platform assisted a June 8 personnel recovery in the Gulf of Oman.
  • The Bandar Abbas strike was part of a wider wave of U.S. attacks that targeted dozens of Iranian sites including air-defense systems, coastal radar, missile and drone capabilities, and small naval vessels.
  • Key uncertainties remain because the Pentagon has withheld full damage and casualty details and Iran’s public response was limited, raising the risk of further retaliation and underscoring a tactical shift toward attritable autonomous maritime strikes.